Corrections in Canada Flashcards
What is probation?
A judge imposed community sentence in which an offender is supervised by a Probation Officer (PO) & must comply with the conditions of their Probation Order or risk being breached (returned to court)
What do probation orders allow?
-Remain in school
-Maintain their employment
-Care for their families
What are the 3 standard conditions of probationers in Canada?
-Keeping the peace & being of good behavior (which may include a ban on communicating with witnesses, co-accused, or victims)
-Reporting to the court when required
-Notifying the court or probation officer of any significant changes, such as getting a new job or residence
What do case plans for probee’s do?
-Identify client’s risks, needs, & responsivity factors
-Outline conditions/terms of probation order set by court
-Identify long-term & short-term goals
-Set behavioral boundaries to keep community safe
-Road map for successful reintegration into community
-Reviewed and updated every 6 months
What is a breach of probation?
When the person on probation is not following their probation order
What is risk principle?
Match level/intensity of treatment services to risk to re-offend
What is need principle?
Target only criminogenic needs
What is responsitivity principle?
Match treatment style to offender’s learning style, strengths & limitations
What is professional discretion?
The ability to exercise discretion in the process of integrating risk-needs information into the case management practices
What are criminogenic factors?
Factors in a [justice-involved individual’s] life that are directly related to recidivism. (eg, substance abuse, education, employment, family situation)
What are non-criminogenic factors?
Needs that show little relationship to criminal behavior (eg, self-esteem, etc)
What is “revolving door corrections”?
The constant flow of inmates in and out of facilities
What is direct supervision?
A method of inmate supervision where officers directly interact with inmates
What is dynamic security?
The regular interaction between prisoners & correctional officers
What is offender classification?
Assessment of an inmate’s risk by the correctional staff members in order to place the inmate in a facility (&/or living unit) that best matches the risks they pose
What are 3 forms of inmate advocacy?
-Correctional Investigator of Canada
-Videotaping planned uses of force
-CCTV cameras
What are some of the roles of correctional officers?
Conduct regular cell searches, initiate inmate searches, carry out perimeter patrols, record inmate movements, confront inmate misbehavior, conduct counts of prisoners, gather information, & screen incoming mail
What are 5 factors that affect the number of assaults in correctional facilities?
-Levels of staff experience & education
-Overcrowding
-Lack of constructive leisure-time activities
-Under-staffing
-Staff & inmate sub-cultures (eg: FSCC)
What does YCJA stand for?
Youth Criminal Justice Act
What are the 4 YCJA prinicples?
-The protection of the public
-The use of separate justice system for youth that is based on diminished blameworthiness
-The use of fair & proportionate sanctions
-The acknowledgement of due process protections for youth
When are youth aged 14+ tried as adults if a judge thinks its necessary?
If they are involved in homicide, attempted murder, or aggravated sexual assault.
What are extrajudicial measures?
Taking no further action and returning the youth to a responsible adult, to issuing a caution or warning, to having the youth participate in a program.
What are extrajudicial sanctions?
Something teenagers must do to make up for their crimes without going through a traditional court process (eg, Apology to victim, counselling, etc)
What are community-based sanctions?
Youth are permitted to live in the community but must abide by conditions (eg: keeping the peace & reporting to youth court or probation office)
What is open custody?
Open custody facilities are often small, limited-security homes (group homes) located in residential communities
What is secure custody?
High level of security intended to prevent escapes & provide a safe environment for residents who present a greater risk to public safety
How long must someone be sentenced to be in federal prison?
2 years plus a day
What was Canada’s first penitentiary?
Kingston Penitentiary
What did the Royal Commission in the 1930’s recommend?
Inmates receive better access to education, recreation, & materials for hygiene, separating persons with mental illness, incarceration close to family, and reduce the use of corporal punishment
What did the Corrections and Conditional Release Act specify?
It specified the minimum conditions of confinement for federal offenders & their pathways to community release
What goals did the Archambault Commission create for prison systems?
-The protection of society
-The safe custody of inmates
-Strict but humane discipline
-Reformation & rehabilitation of prisoners
What are the 8 special needs populations in prisons?
-Indigenous offenders
-Mothers & pregnant inmates
-Radicalized inmates
-Aging prisoners
-Prisoners with mental health issues
-Prisoners suffering from FASD
-Security Threat Groups (Gang members)
-Women offenders
What is a way the CSC shows effort to be more responsive to Indigenous offenders?
Healing Lodges
What is the Institutional Mother-Child Program (MCP)?
Enables children to stay with their mothers in a minimum institution until they are five years-old, & on a part-time basis afterwards
What causes inmates to become radicalized?
Inmates are often discouraged, depressed, & isolated from positive influences in their lives, which makes them easily influenced & vulnerable to extremist ideas
What are the challenges with aging prisoners?
Older inmates pose some challenges for prison systems, as they have greater health care needs due to chronic health conditions & the need for end-of-life care
What is a risk with prisoners with mental health issues?
More likely to be involved to higher rates of assaults (as victims as well as perpetrators), use of force incidents, as well as self-harming & suicidal behaviors
What is FASD?
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - lifelong disability (brain damage & developmental delays) caused by in-utero exposure to alcohol
What are 4 things gangs do in prison?
-Violence
-Perpetuate the underground prison economy (eg: the sale of drugs & other contraband)
-Undermine rehabilitative programming
-Contribute to recidivism once these gang-involved inmates return to the community
What are the 5 characteristics of Creating Choices?
-empowerment
-meaningful & responsible choices
-respect & dignity
-supportive environment
-shared responsibility
What 3 things were correctional treatments based on historically?
-Educational programs
-Drug & alcohol treatment
-Employment & vocational training
What 5 industries are inmates emplyed in with the goal of them creating skills they can use one released?
(1) manufacturing; (2) textiles; (3) construction; (4) production services; & (5) agriculture
What are the 5 concerns for federal prisoners?
-Staff performance, such as inappropriate use of force or staff misconduct
-Correspondence & access to telephone communications
-Amenities, food, & diet
-Personal effects, such as lost items
-Non-urgent health services, such as arranging an appointment with a specialist
Who introduced the idea of parole/conditional release?
Alexander Maconochie
What are tickets to leave?
Tickets of leave gave offenders more privileges (e.g., to marry, seek employment) & eventually some could earn their return to England
What is parole?
A federal prisoner who has been released prior to their warrant expiry date after their cases have been reviewed by the Parole Board of Canada (PBC)
What is day parole?
Day parole is a form of release under Canadian law that permits prisoner participation in public activities during the day, and requires they return to their prison or halfway house nightly
What is full parole?
Lets you serve the rest of your sentence under supervision in the community.
What is statutory release?
Federal offenders who have served two-thirds of a fixed-length sentence be released from prison under supervision at that point.
What is the purpose of parole?
To ensure the safe transition of CSC prisoners into the community
When are temporary releases given?
Often given for medical or rehabilitative purposes, or for family visits or funerals
When are temporary unescorted absences given?
May begin after serving 1/6 sentence (for 3+ year sentences), or after 6 months (for 2-3 year sentences) & are for family visits, employment, etc.
How long do “lifers” need to wait before they can have “unescorted absences”?
22 years
What does CoSA stand for?
Circles of Support and Accountability
What are the 3 phases of CoSA?
-The core member (ex-offender) establishes trust with the volunteers & receives support from them
-Higher levels of trust develop between the core member & volunteers
-After the core member is fully reintegrated into the community, the need for support decreases & the circles eventually close,
What are some barriers for community re-entry?
-Offender lacking official identification
-Uncertainty about where they were going to live & work
-Returning to the same criminogenic neighborhood where they resided in prior to being incarcerated
-Lack of meaningful job opportunities
-No supply of their medications
-The challenges of reconnecting with family & friends involved in crime & substance abuse
-Collateral consequences
-Not getting hired
-Strained family and friend relationships
What is the task force that created the 5 principles used in women’s institutions today?
Creating Choices
Who oversees the services, resources and accommodations for women in federal correction facilities?
The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC)
What is the CSC goals for women offenders?
-Help women offenders rebuild their lives as law-abiding citizens
-Create safer communities for all
What do female offenders struggle more with than male offenders?
Substance abuse disorders and mental health issues (schizophrenia, major depression, psychosexual dysfunction, & anti-social personality disorders)
How many womens facilities are there?
5
What are the 5 principles made by Creating Choices?
-Empowering women offenders
-Nurture meaningful and responsible choices
-Foster respect and dignity
-Create a supportive environment
-Promote shared responsibility
What is the goal of empowerment?
To enhance female inmates self-esteem and empower them to direct their own lives
What is the goal of fostering meaningful and responsible choices?
Life inside prison can better mirror life outside and provide a more realistic environment to foster self-sufficiency and responsibility
What is the goal of having respect and dignity?
Gives female inmates the ability to respect others regardless of culture, religion, and other factors
What is the importance of a supportive environment?
The quality of an environment can promote physical health, psychological health, and personal development
What is the idea of shared responsibility?
Teaching female inmates to work together as they would outside of the institution (budgeting, cleaning, cooking, etc)
What are Housing Units in Institutions?
Minimum or medium security houses located inside institutions with communal living areas. The women are responsible for cooking, cleaning, etc
What is the Main Institutional Building?
Where you would find programs, recreational activities, health services, etc
What are secure units (SU)?
You would find max security inmates here. They are under high level intervention and supervision
What are structured living environments (SLE)?
Houses women who are minimum or medium security and have mental health issues or cognitive limitations
What are Section 81 Agreements?
Allows CSC to enter into an agreement with an Indigenous community for the provision of correctional services to Indigenous offenders
What are community-based residential facilities (CBRFs)?
“Halfway houses”, provide a bridge between the institution and the community.Manage offenders on day parole, full parole with residency, statutory release with residency, and long-term supervision orders with residency
What kinds of programming do CBRFs offer?
-life skills
-substance abuse
-employment, and/or
-crisis counselling
Who is provided Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?
Women offenders with diagnosed mental health issues
What does DBT offer?
-skills training sessions
2-4-hour coaching
-treatment team consultations
-sessions with a psychologist
-supportive environment
